Slough

Slough's population expanded in the 10 years leading up to the latest census. Data from the census also show there were changes in housing tenure, relationships and family life.

The population passed 140,000

Between the last two censuses, the population of Slough increased by 18%, from just over 119,000 to 140,000.

The addition of about 21,000 people means this area's population was the second-fastest-growing in the South East and increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Slough was home to, on average, 31 people per football pitch-sized piece of land. This made it the South East's third-most densely-populated unitary authority.

Population density was higher than the average across the South East

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South East, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

A younger Slough

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Slough decreased by one year, from 33 to 32 years.

This urban area had the third-lowest average age in the South East and remained younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of about 6,200 children under the age of nine years, while the population between 70 and 79 years decreased by just over 600.

About 16% of people in Slough are aged under nine years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Slough by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Fall in home ownership

Slough saw England's largest fall in the proportion of households that owned their home.

In 2011, just over one in two (53%) households in Slough owned their home, compared with 66% in 2001. The percentage of privately rented homes increased from 11% to 24%.

Isles of Scilly saw England's next largest rise in the proportion of households that owned their home (from 40% to 42%).

Because of its small size, comparisons to Isles of Scilly should be made with caution.

The rate of home ownership in Slough decreased by 14 percentage points

Percentage of households in Slough, the South East and England that owned their home, March 2001 and March 2011

More single parents

Slough saw England's second-largest rise in the proportion of single-parent households.

In 2011, just over one in eight (13%) households in Slough had a single parent, compared with 8.7% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising a married couple remained close to 34%.

England's largest increase in the proportion of single-parent households occurred in Enfield (from 11% to 17%).

The percentage of households with a single-parent in Slough increased by 4.1 percentage points

Percentage of households in Slough, the South East and England that had a single parent, March 2001 and March 2011

Families in Slough

Slough saw England's third-largest fall in the proportion of households without children.

In 2011, just over one in two (51%) households in Slough had no children, compared with 56% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child increased from 34% to 39%.

England's largest decrease in the proportion of households without children occurred in Barking and Dagenham (from 55% to 48%) followed by Redbridge (from 56% to 50%).

The proportion of households without children was lower than across the South East

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Slough

The number of people in Slough from the White ethnic groups decreased from just under 76,000 in 2001 to about 64,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 64% to 46% of the local population.

The percentage decreased by more than the average across the South East (from 95% to 91%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Slough from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from just under 34,000 in 2001 to just under 56,000 in 2011 (from 28% to 40%). The number of residents from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from about 6,000 to just over 12,000 (from 5.1% to 8.6%).

About 4,800 people (2.3%) said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), up from about 2,800 in 2001 (3.4%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Slough decreased by 18 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Slough by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Slough

Slough saw the South East's largest fall in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

In 2011, just over 1 in 20 (5.0%) in Slough reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 5.8% in 2001. The percentage who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 2.7% to 3.3%.

Across the region, Elmbridge saw the next largest decrease in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability (from 7.3% in 2001 to 6.6% in 2011).

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in rate of self-employment

The percentage of Slough residents that were self-employed increased from 6.2% to 8.9% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (55%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 59% in 2001. The percentage of Slough residents that were unemployed increased from 3.4% to 5.4%.

The proportion of self-employed people increased faster here than in any other local authority district across the South East. The improvement brought health in Slough close to the national average 9.7% in England described their health as good in 2011).

The rate of self-employment in Slough increased by 2.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Slough, the South East and England that said they were self-employed, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Slough

The number of people in Slough that described themselves as having no religion increased from just over 13,000 in 2001 to about 17,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 11% to 12% of the local population.

The percentage increased by less than the average across the South East (from 17% to 28%) and the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Slough that described themselves as Christian decreased from just under 64,000 in 2001 to just under 58,000 in 2011 (from 54% to 41%). The number of people who described themselves as Muslim increased from just under 16,000 to just under 33,000 (from 13% to 23%).

About 15,000 people (9.1%) said they were Sikh, up from about 11,000 in 2001 (11%).

The population without a religion in Slough increased by 1.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Slough by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Slough residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 7.8% to 4.5% in the decade to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (84%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 70% in 2001. The percentage of Slough residents that described their health as fair decreased from 22% to 12%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 7.2% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Slough decreased by 3.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Slough, the South East and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Slough working less than 16 hours increased from 1.7% to 3.1% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under 1 in 12 (8.2%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 12% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 2.1% in 2001 to 3.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Slough increased by 1.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Slough, the South East and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Relationships in Slough

The percentage of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership changed very little in Slough, while the proportion increased across the South East.

In Slough, the proportion of single people increased from 34% in 2001 to 35% in 2011. During the same period, the regional proportion increased from 29% to 32%.

Across the South East, the share of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased from 29% to 32%.

The proportion of married people in Slough increased from 48% to 49%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 10% to 11%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was higher than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Slough residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.7% to 1.9% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.1%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 1.7% in 2001 to 2.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Slough remained close to 1.9%

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Slough by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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